4 mountain lion kittens discovered in Santa Monica Mountains

One of four mountain lion kittens born in the Santa Monica Mountains to P-19 in early August. (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service)

Four mountain lion kittens have been discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains by National Park Service researchers and will have genetic testing to see if they are the product of inbreeding as suspected, the park service announced Tuesday.

The blue-eyed, spotted kittens, born to the lion known as P-19, are about 4 weeks old and appear to be in good health. Tissue samples were taken, their ears were tagged and they were returned to the hiding spot where their mother had left them, according to the park service.

The father is believed to be P-56, the grandson of 8-year-old P-19. The animals are also known as cougars and pumas.

“Although genetic testing is required to confirm P-56‘s paternity, the two mountain lions spent time together 90 days prior to the birth of the kitten, which is the gestation period for mountain lions,” according to the park service’s emailed announcement.

Inbreeding is a major problem for lions in both the Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains. Because both areas are surrounded by freeways that are rarely successfully crossed by the cats, the gene pool lacks the diversity needed for a healthy mountain lion population. Inbreeding can cause sperm and heart abnormalities as well as lower kitten survival rates, posing the threat of extinction to the lions in those two ranges.

Caltrans is developing a proposal for an wildlife crossing over the 101 freeway in Liberty Canyon, which would open up the Santa Monica range to fresh genes from the lions in wilderness areas north of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Park service researchers have been tracking P-19 since she was four weeks old. She has previously given birth to seven known kittens in three litters. Four of those have died, two were never given GPS collars and their whereabouts are unknown, and one is confirmed to be alive.